Of four Congressional challengers in the 9th, only one lives in the district

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith has served eight terms in the 9th Congressional District, but last year’s redistricting drew two Democratic opponents who say he’s now too conservative for the new boundaries.

Two Republicans are running against him, too. But only one of his three opponents even lives in the new 9th District.

You don’t have to live inside a district’s boundaries to run for office, but candidates usually do.

Democrat David Christie, a LaRouche PAC Democrat, lives in North Seattle, outside the boundaries of the 9th. He said he didn’t want to run against his congressman in the 7th, Jim McDermott.

Democrat Tom Cramer, who says he has worked on 48 campaigns for Congress, says he lives “100 feet” from the new district’s boundary, but would move to Newcastle if he wins. He lives in the 1st Congressional District, which is flooded with well-known candidates.

Republican perennial candidate Boleslaw “John” Orlinski lives in the 9th District. But the other Republican in the race, retired aeronautical engineer Jim Postma, does not.

The incumbent, Smith, lives in northeast Tacoma, well within the new boundaries.

About this blog

Politics Northwest is the go-to blog for politics in our region. The blog explores national, state and local political news and issues. Reporters from Washington, D.C., to Seattle City Hall to the state capital in Olympia contribute. Editors are Richard Wagoner and Beth Kaiman.